IPhone app development trends shifting rapidly: Study

Author

Jordan Crook

In the midst of all the buzz surrounding Apple, iPhone application development trends are beginning to shift towards business use cases, according to a study by iPhoneAppQuotes.com.

What once was a 50/50 split between business applications and consumer applications is now a 70/30 split in favor of business applications. Medical, education, business and book applications are the most requested categories of applications in the Apple App Store.

"The key finding here is that business apps are dominating app development quote requests, which makes total sense," said Gregg Weiss, founder of iPhoneAppQuotes.com, Royal Palm Beach, FL.

"IPhone apps are just another extension of a business's reach, both from the branding, sales and marketing perspectives, as well as the ability to sell their products and services," he said.

The iPhone is relentlessly dominating the smartphone market with more 65,000 applications in its Apple App Store arsenal, along with some of the most robust features of any phone to date.

It is becoming clearer that individuals and businesses alike want to get in on the mobile applications gravy train, either to promote their business via branding or actually turn a profit.

Even during this time of economic volatility, the mobile applications market seems to be thriving as businesses and entrepreneurs join in on the bonanza.

From the first quarter of 2009 to the second quarter, business applications have made a 30 percent jump over consumer applications.

"For mobile marketers, this means that apps for the business area is a must," Mr. Weiss said. "I liken it to what a Web site was for a business 10 years ago.

"If you had an engaging Web site, you had a leg up against your competition," he said.

IPhoneAppQuotes.com credits the incredible exposure for businesses with the recent explosion of business app development requests.

The number of requests for quotes to develop new iPhone applications went up 20 percent from May to June in 2009.

However, the number of requests for gaming application development on the iPhone dropped approximately 10 percent.

Moreover, the development requests for music applications are way down. Statistics for this decline were not disclosed.

IPhoneAppQuotes.com also reported that the initiation of new weather, sports and photography applications have slowed to a near standstill.

"I think that this is only the beginning of the next wave of iPhone apps," Mr. Weiss said. "Currently there are only a handful of the 65,000 apps in the store that have 3.0 functionality.

"We'll start to see more apps with ecommerce, push notifications and social media integration such as Facebook and Twitter," he said. "If you thought the apps were cool last year, just wait."